SALEM — Two cruise ships carrying as many as 100 sightseers each will dock in the Witch City this summer. City officials hope more cruise companies will follow, as the city embarks on a three-year redevelopment of the Blaney Street wharf.
American Canadian Caribbean Line, a Warren, R.I.-based cruise company, will stop in Salem for about 24 hours as part of a five-night New England cruise taking passengers between Rhode Island and Portland, Maine. The approximately 180-foot vessel will dock near Blaney Street on July 7 and 8 and Aug. 17 and 18.
"We felt Salem was ideal because many of our guests would have interest in Colonial architecture. ... Many of them have read about Salem," said Maria Prezioso, the cruise line's marketing director.
The cruises may be small — about 100 passengers each trip — but city officials want to see more of them. Construction will soon move forward on a cruise ship terminal at the Blaney Street dock, allowing it to accommodate larger vessels. A few tourism officials will attend a small-cruise conference in Portland later this year.
"We're not looking to have the luxury liners that you see in some of the TV commericals," Mayor Kim Driscoll said. "These are smaller cruise lines, where passengers are interested in cultural tourism. We can provide that."
The passengers arriving this summer are likely to be "active seniors" from California and Florida who enjoy visiting historical and cultural sites, Prezioso said.
"Many of our guests are well-traveled, well-educated and enjoy river cruising not only in America, but all over the world," Prezioso said.
Downtown shop owners hope they're also big spenders. The cruises range in price from $1,315 to $1,595. During both visits, the ship will dock one day and leave the next, so passengers should have time to wander local shops and museums and stay for dinner. (Hotels aren't likely to be affected because the guests already have rooms on the boat).
"Passengers generally have their own time to disembark and explore the city, which means more economic benefit for us," said Kate Fox, executive director of Destination Salem.
"Just imagine two cruise ships with 100 people come into town: They all have a drink, buy some T-shirts, have an appetizer," said Rinus Oosthoek, executive director of the Salem Chamber of Commerce. "They're going to the Peabody Essex Museum, the Witch Museum. Before you know it, they've spent $100 or $150 per person."
By themselves, the two cruise-line stopovers probably won't be enough to fill up shop owners' cash registers, but Oosthoek hopes they can lay the foundation for bigger, more frequent cruises in the future.
"You have to go out of your way for the small ones in order to catch the big ones," Oosthoek said. "We'll do anything to make it work as smoothly as possible."
Small cruise ships have arrived in Salem before — often awkwardly. Until 2004, American Canadian Caribbean Line had to moor in the harbor and ferry passengers to the shore. With older passengers, it often proved difficult, Driscoll said.
The cruise line hasn't been to Salem in four years but will now be able to dock at a pier originally built a few years ago for the Salem ferry. The July cruise starts in Warwick, R.I., and is scheduled to make stops in Salem, Gloucester, Newburyport, Portsmouth, N.H., and Portland, Maine. The boat arrives the morning of July 7 and leaves the next day.
The August cruise travels the reverse route from Portland to Warwick, docking in Salem in the early afternoon of Aug. 17 and leaving the following evening.
Meanwhile, more work for the Blaney Street dock is on the way, which will allow larger ships and room for more ships to dock.
"As much as Derby Wharf was the center of shipping more than 100 years ago, now with a deeper port on Blaney Street, we have a fantastic opportunity," said Bill Walker of Water Transportation, which operates the Salem ferry.
Staff writer Chris Cassidy can be reached at 978-338-2526 or by e-mail at ccassidy@salemnews.com.
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Video of Ga. Man Who Killed Girl Released
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
